Challenge Raducanu Must Overcome Named By Former British No. 1

Tuesday, 26 November 2024 at 14:58

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byJordan Reynolds

Emma Raducanu's chances will be impacted by her ability to improve in one specific area, according to Tim Henman.

Raducanu ended her season by representing Team Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup. She won all her matches in the ties against Germany, Canada, and Slovakia but still narrowly missed out on the final after the Slovakians won the tie 2-1.

The 22-year-old's performances were impressive, considering she had not played a match in nearly two months before the Billie Jean King Cup after sustaining an injury at September's Korea Open.

Raducanu sprained ligaments in her foot during the quarterfinal in Seoul, meaning she had to retire after 31 minutes. The 2021 US Open champion missed the rest of the Asian swing because of the problem.

That is not her first injury issue. Raducanu missed the final nine months of the 2023 season due to severe wrist and ankle problems. Both issues required surgeries, lengthening the recovery time.

Raducanu also admitted to making a mistake while injured. She tried to return too soon, and that lack of patience made the injuries worse, which also contributed to her long time on the sidelines.

Other injuries have also occurred throughout Raducanu's career. Although one does not want to be too alarmist, the Briton's having that many physical setbacks at such a young age is slightly concerning.

One reason for those issues might be Raducanu's preference until recently for not having a full-time fitness trainer because she likes to keep her team small. She has relied on workers provided by the Lawn Tennis Association.

To Raducanu's credit, she realized that was a mistake and is trying to rectify the situation. Talks have been ongoing about adding Naomi Osaka and Maria Sharapova's former fitness trainer to her team, but an appointment has yet to be confirmed.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Tennis Podcast, Henman suggested hiring a specialist fitness coach would be great for Raducanu since improving her physical resilience to play an entire season is her biggest challenge.

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"I think the challenge for Raducanu is around physical resilience. You talk about Katie Boulter and all the improvements that she made. Yes, she has got better as a tennis player, her movement has improved, but it's also the resilience to be able to play that full schedule."

"Raducanu has had a decent year, going from sort of 300 into the top 60 but, when you look at the amount of tennis she's played, she hasn't played a great deal. If she builds up that resilience, every time she steps on the court, she was playing good tennis. Therefore, top 50, top 30 in 2025, I think is completely realistic."

Raducanu's compatriot Boulter is a good example to aspire to. Although Boulter has endured several injury issues throughout her career, she played a busy schedule this year after working hard to become physically stronger.

Still just 22, Raducanu has much time ahead to make those improvements. Her stunning run to the US Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier means she attracts more attention than most players, but those expectations have sometimes been unrealistic.